Topic One: God as Creator
The Bible (KJV) starts with Genesis 1:1 “the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” This is a statement about God as the creator. It is not a question. It is not a debate subject, nor is it up for discussion. The writer of Genesis makes this statement as a foundation for all that will follow. The writer continues in Genesis 1:21 “And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” God approved of His work and it was “good.”
Isaiah (41:20) adds his input on the “creator” thought with the following “That they [man] may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.” Isaiah continues this thought (42:5) with “Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:” Isaiah leaves no doubt about how things on this earth began. Isaiah further quotes God’s words given to him to write in 45:12 “I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens and all their host have I commanded. “ The prophet Amos (4:13) echoes Isaiah’s words with “For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is his name.” The Old Testament prophets knew who the creator was and wrote what He gave them.
The writers of the New Testament also echoed these same words about the creator. Paul, in the letter to the Colossians (1:16) wrote this: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” Paul also wrote in the letter to the Romans (1:20) “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” No man from God’s creation of Adam and Eve until the last person born at the end of the age can deny who his creator is. Only those in arrogant rebellion against the Supreme I AM are ignorant enough to deny God as Creator. Search God’s Word for what the prophets and apostles had to say about God’s power to create.
Topic Two: God and His plan for His creation
God’s plan was to create perfect human beings to live in perfect harmony with Him. Because of Man’s disobedience to God’s Commands, this brought separation between a Holy God and rebellious Man. God knew this would happen and He had planned a remedy. The remedy was the perfect sacrifice for Man’s disobedience (sin). The judgment for Man’s disobedience (sin) was death (Romans 3:22-24), but God’s Plan included a way for the judgment to be set aside. Every human being is guilty and must have the judgment set aside.
John 3:16-21 tells us God’s remedy to set aside the judgment. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hates (KJV-hateth) the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Simply put God’s plan is 1) acknowledge that you are a sinner (disobedient). 2) That you accept Jesus Christ (God’s son) as Lord, 3) be baptized as Jesus taught. (Romans 6:23)
Jesus taught that there are two gates to eternal life. One is wide and leads to destruction. One is narrow and leads to eternal life. (Matthew 7:13, 14) Jesus said in John 14:6, that He is the way. Through Him is the narrow gate that leads to eternal life. Eternal life is to live in heaven with God. (Revelation 21:4, 27)
Topic Three: God’s Focus
The focal point of God’s Plan is to prepare a place (through Jesus sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection) for His adopted family. His adopted family are those who receive salvation through Jesus’ redemptive ministry and sacrificial earthly actions by going to the cross. God’s adoptive family will spend eternity in heaven with Him.
What does heaven mean to those who are believers? “In the Bible, heaven has three meanings: 1. It refers to the atmosphere surrounding the earth (Ge. 1:6-8). 2. It refers to the area of the sun, moon, and stars (Ge. 1:14-19; Ps. 19:1). 3. It refers to the place where God has His throne (Ps. 80:14; Is. 66:1; Mt. 5:16, 45, 48). It is this Heaven from which Jesus came to earth (Jn. 3:13) and to which He returned after His resurrection (Ac. 1:11).” (Source David Cloud’s Advanced Bible Study Series)
As God’s adopted family what will we find in heaven? The spirits of redeemed men (He. 12:23), and the multitude of angelic hosts. A new heaven and a new earth that are perfect and without any disintegration. Heaven is a place without any unpleasant thing. No sorrow, pain, or death (Re. 21:2-4), no hunger or thirst (Re. 7:16), no darkness (Re. 22:5). Heaven is the eternal home for believers who become a part of God’s family. The focus of the Old Testament and New Testament is for God’s redeemed family.